Harris GOP wants widow to replace Anderson as DA

Updated 1:41 am, Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Mike Anderson and his wife, Devon Anderson, arrive at a polling location, Briargrove Elementary, on Tuesday. Hours later he was elected district attorney.

Mike Anderson and his wife, Devon Anderson, arrive at a polling location, Briargrove Elementary, on Tuesday. Hours later he was elected district attorney.

Photo: Johnny Hanson, Staff

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Republican candidate for Harris County District Attorney Mike Anderson gives his victory speech with his wife Devon Anderson at his election watch party at Blanco's Bar & Grill Tuesday, May 29, 2012, in Houston.
( James Nielsen / Chronicle ) less

Republican candidate for Harris County District Attorney Mike Anderson gives his victory speech with his wife Devon Anderson at his election watch party at Blanco's Bar & Grill Tuesday, May 29, 2012, in ... more

Photo: James Nielsen

Image 3 of 6

Republican candidate for Harris County District Attorney Mike Anderson and his wife Devon Anderson during Anderson's election watch party at Blanco's Bar & Grill Tuesday, May 29, 2012, in Houston.

Republican candidate for Harris County District Attorney Mike Anderson and his wife Devon Anderson during Anderson's election watch party at Blanco's Bar & Grill Tuesday, May 29, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

Image 4 of 6

Republican candidate for Harris County District Attorney Mike Anderson gives his victory speech with his wife Devon Anderson at his election watch party at Blanco's Bar & Grill Tuesday, May 29, 2012, in Houston. less

Republican candidate for Harris County District Attorney Mike Anderson gives his victory speech with his wife Devon Anderson at his election watch party at Blanco's Bar & Grill Tuesday, May 29, 2012, in ... more

Judge Devon Anderson faces prosecutor, Michele Oncken, left, and attorneys for Ashley Paige Benton, Brian Wice, center, and Rick DeToto, far right, just before she appeared in court at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center in Houston. less

Judge Devon Anderson faces prosecutor, Michele Oncken, left, and attorneys for Ashley Paige Benton, Brian Wice, center, and Rick DeToto, far right, just before she appeared in court at the Harris County ... more

Photo: KAREN WARREN, Chronicle

Harris GOP wants widow to replace Anderson as DA

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Devon Anderson, the widow of recently deceased Harris County District Attorney Mike Anderson, is the local GOP leadership's choice to replace her late husband, the head of party said Monday.

"The person who would be the best to fill Mike's shoes, and they're big shoes to fill, would be his wife," said Jared Woodfill, chairman of the Harris County Republican Party. "I'm hopeful that the governor will appoint her to carry on Mike's legacy. She's very, very qualified for the position."

Woodfill put his sentiments in a letter to Gov. Rick Perry who will appoint someone to fill the unexpired term of Mike Anderson, who lost his battle with cancer Aug. 31.

Woodfill said he is urging Devon Anderson to ask for the appointment, and said she is considering it.

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Neither Devon Anderson nor her husband's political consultant could be reached for comment Monday.

Devon Anderson spent more than 12 years prosecuting cases as an assistant Harris County district attorney. In 2004 she beat two opponents in the GOP primary and defeated one in the general election to take over the 177th state District Court for retiring Judge Carol Davies.

She was unseated in 2008 with more than a dozen other Republican judges who lost their benches to Democrats when Barack Obama's presidential race brought record numbers of Democrats to the polls.

To stay in office after the expired term, whoever is appointed will have to run for re-election in November 2014. The position will be up for election again in 2016, when it was normally scheduled.

Belinda Hill, Mike Anderson's first assistant, is serving as interim district attorney until his replacement is named.